Verizon Wireless Customers Who Can't Be "Home For The Holidays" Can Rely On The Verizon Wireless Network

BEDMINSTER, NJ — With the holiday season in full swing, many of Verizon Wireless' 42.1 million customers will turn to their wireless phones to send warm wishes to loved ones and keep them connected during the busy holiday season. Verizon Wireless, owner and operator of the nation's most reliable wireless network, has invested in its network throughout the year to ensure the pieces are in place to not only accommodate the increase in calls this holiday season, but throughout the whole year.

Verizon Wireless invests more than $4 billion annually to maintain and expand its high-quality network nationwide. The company's most reliable network claim is based on the network studies completed by real-life test men and women, who conduct more than four million calls annually on the Verizon Wireless network and other national wireless carriers' networks while traveling more than one million miles in specially-equipped, company-owned quality test vehicles across the nation.

December also brings the start of winter, and Verizon Wireless' network reliability is supported by industry-leading redundancy and maintenance measures to help ensure holiday communications go through when the snow starts falling. Verizon Wireless network reliability features include battery back-up power at all facilities as well as generators installed at all switching facilities and many cell site locations. The company also owns a fleet of portable generators that can be deployed to provide emergency power during extended power outages to those cell sites without permanent generators.

Verizon Wireless also has a fleet of "Cell on Wheels" (COWs), which are fully functional, generator-powered mobile cell sites that enhance coverage and capacity in a given area. COWs are used to provide additional network calling capacity, meaning more customers can use the Verizon Wireless network concurrently during busy times or at major events that attract large crowds. All Verizon Wireless cell sites and switches nationwide are monitored 24/7 from two Network Operation Centers located in New Jersey and Texas.

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless owns and operates the nation's most reliable wireless network, serving 42.1 million voice and data customers. Headquartered in Bedminster, NJ, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). Find more information on the Web at www.verizonwireless.com. To receive broadcast-quality video footage of Verizon Wireless operations, log onto www.thenewsmarket.com/verizonwireless.  

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